Kochi

Kochi is located in the southern part of the Shikoku region, featuring a topography caught between a long coastline facing the Pacific Ocean and the steep mountains of the Shikoku Mountains. The climate is warm and rainy due to the influence of the Kuroshio current, and the annual precipitation in Kochi City often exceeds 2500mm in many locations, making it known as one of the areas with the most rainfall nationally. This rainfall and high temperature support the greenhouse cultivation of vegetables, and the forced cultivation of Eggplant, Green Pepper, and shishito (small green pepper) is actively carried out in greenhouse complexes in Shimanto City, Aki City, and Konan City. Because it is mainly greenhouse cultivation, the planted area is limited, but due to high yields, the harvest volume of Eggplant is at the 1st nationally level, and it is shipped nationwide during the winter and spring. Ginger is also a leading production area nationally, and Kochi's characteristic red clay soil and warm climate are suitable for cultivating pungent Ginger. Tosa Bay is a fishing ground where the Kuroshio current approaches the coast, and pole-and-line fishing for katsuo (skipjack tuna) has been traditionally practiced. Katsuo no tataki (seared skipjack tuna) is known nationwide as a food culture representing Kochi. Also, buntan (pomelo) is a citrus cultivated in the warm regions along the Tosa Bay coast, characterized by its juicy flesh and refreshing bitterness. Kochi's agriculture utilizes the topography where mountains and the coast are close together, establishing a trinity of greenhouse vegetables, fruits, and marine products.

Source: MAFF Crop Statistics (Reiwa 5 / 2023), JMA historical weather data

The structural characteristic of Kochi agriculture lies in the point that seemingly disadvantageous conditions of heavy rainfall and steep topography were reversed through greenhouse cultivation. Because the annual precipitation is high, the controlled environment inside the greenhouses produces stable quality. The forced cultivation of Eggplant, Green Pepper, and shishito has succeeded by designing shipping times that match the winter and spring vegetable demand in the Kanto and Kansai regions, maintaining an advantage in inter-regional competition. Meanwhile, in fishing, the natural migration route of the Kuroshio current supplies high-quality seafood, and the pole-and-line fishing method for katsuo maintains freshness without damaging the fish body. Two seemingly opposite industrial structures, greenhouse agriculture and traditional fishing, create the depth of Kochi's food industry.